Catheters have many medical uses. Among these uses are delivery of intravenous fluids, administering chemotherapy to a particular organ or site, and to assist in cardiac procedures and for treating coronary artery deficiencies. Catheters are also being used during neurosurgical procedures for the treatment of cerebral vasospasms, which may lead to cerebral ischemic.
However, in any of the above-described uses of catheters, thrombosis and the development of embolisms are a concern when used for extended durations. Embolic phenomenon, which may result from thrombosis, can lead to tissue damage. Maintaining catheterization for extended durations carries significant advantages, such as making available more types of treatment and medicines to the patient, broadening the types of conditions that may be treated rather than by ways of more invasive procedures, improving the effectiveness of treatment due to longer treatment durations, and adjusted treatment cycles, for example.
Avoiding thrombosis or embolic phenomena are particularly important in the treatment of cerebral vasospams. It has been shown that intravascular infusion of verapamil and other substances can minimize cerebral vasospasm. Unfortunately, the catheter cannot be left in situ for a long period of time to treat this relatively chronic condition, thus, suboptimal drug delivery results.
Accordingly, there exists a need for improved catheter devices and methods for using the same. More specifically, there exists a further need for neurological or cerebral intravascular catheter devices and methods for treating cerebral vasospasms and avoiding thrombosis or embolic phenomenon before, during, and after neurosurgery.